Foldable baseball equipment rack

ABSTRACT

A foldable baseball equipment rack includes a plate unit having a plurality of bat-receiving notches, and a supporting frame unit disposed under the plate unit. The supporting frame unit includes a first frame member and a second frame member pivoted to the first frame member in such a manner to constitute an X-shaped configuration. The first and second frame members are pivotable relative to each other to change the supporting frame unit to a folded state, thereby allowing the plate unit to be folded on the supporting frame unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a baseball equipment rack, more particularly to a foldable baseball equipment rack.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, when a baseball team practices on public grounds, there are no facilities for positioning baseball equipment.

As shown in FIG. 1, in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 283355, a baseball bat mount comprises a supporting post 1, a telescopic tripod 2 mounted below the supporting post 1, a plate member 3 disposed on a top end of the supporting post 1, and a plurality of U-shaped holders 4 for mounting baseball bats 40. The telescopic tripod 2 and the U-shaped holders 4 are foldable. However, the plate member 3 is not foldable and is connected fixedly to the supporting post 1. As a result, the baseball bat mount in a folded state is still not convenient to transport.

As shown in FIG. 2, a baseball bat holder 5 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D493,056 comprises two hooks 6 attachable to a net fence, and a plurality of retaining notches 501 for mounting baseball bats 7. The baseball bat holder 5 is inverted L-shaped. Although the baseball bat holder 5 has a smaller volume than the above-mentioned baseball bat mount, the baseball bat holder 5 is limited for use in an area with a net fence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable baseball equipment rack capable of alleviating the above drawbacks of the prior art.

Accordingly, a foldable baseball equipment rack of the present invention comprises: a plate unit having a top surface unit, a bottom surface unit opposite to the top surface unit, and a plurality of bat-receiving notches extending through the top surface unit and the bottom surface unit and being formed along a periphery of the plate unit; and a supporting frame unit connected to and disposed under the plate unit for supporting the plate unit. The supporting frame unit includes a first frame member and a second frame member pivoted to the first frame member in such a manner to constitute an X-shaped configuration. The first frame member includes a pair of first supporting legs each having an upper end. The second frame member includes a pair of second supporting legs each having an upper end. The upper ends of the first supporting legs are spaced respectively apart from the upper ends of the second supporting legs. The first and second frame members are pivotable relative to each other to change the supporting frame unit to a folded state so that the first and second frame members are aligned with each other, and the upper ends of the first supporting legs are adjacent respectively to the upper ends of the second supporting legs, thereby allowing the plate unit to be folded on the supporting frame unit such that the plate unit is parallel to an assembly of the first and second frame members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional baseball bat mount disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 283355;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional baseball bat holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D493,056;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a foldable baseball equipment rack according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an schematic perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how first and second plates are pulled apart from each other to change a supporting frame unit to a folded state; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how a carrying strap is adjusted on the supporting frame unit so that the folded rack is convenient to carry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the preferred embodiment of a foldable baseball equipment rack according to the present invention comprises a plate unit 10, a supporting frame unit 20, and a carrying strap 30 disposed on the supporting frame unit 20.

The plate unit 10 has a top surface unit and a bottom surface unit opposite to the top surface unit. The plate unit 10 includes a first plate 12 and a second plate 11 coplanar with the first plate 12. Each of the first and second plates 12, 11 has a top surface 121, 111, a bottom surface 122, 112, an inner side 124, 114 abutting against the other one of the first and second palates 12, 11, and an outer side 123, 113 opposite to the inner sides 124, 114. The top surfaces 121, 111 of the first and second plates 12, 11 constitute the top surface unit. The bottom surfaces 122, 112 of the first and second plates 12, 11 constitute the bottom surface unit. A plurality of bat-receiving notches 126, 116 for receiving baseball bats extend through the top surfaces 121, 111 and the bottom surfaces 122, 112 of the first and second plates 12, 11 and are formed in the outer sides 123, 113 of the first and second plates 12, 11. Each of the first and second plates 12, 11 further has a plurality of ball-receiving cavities 127, 117 formed in the top surface 121, 111.

The supporting frame unit 20 is disposed under the plate unit 10 for supporting the same, and includes a first frame member 21 and a second frame member 22 pivoted to the first frame member 21 in such a manner to constitute an X-shaped configuration. The first frame member 21 includes a pair of first supporting legs 211 each having an upper end 212. The second frame member 22 includes a pair of second supporting legs 221 each having an upper end 222. The upper ends 212, 222 of the first and second supporting legs 211, 221 are connected to the bottom surfaces 122, 111 of the first and second plates 12, 11 and are spaced apart from each other.

The supporting frame unit 20 further includes a pair of first connecting rods 23 and a pair of second connecting rods 24 parallel to the first connecting rods 23. Each of the first and second connecting rods 23, 24 of the supporting frame unit 20 has a pivoting end 231, 241 and a plate-mounting end 232, 242 that are opposite to each other. Each of the pivoting ends 231, 241 of the first and second connecting rods 23, 24 is pivoted to a respective one of the upper ends 212, 222 of the first and second frame members 21, 22. Each of the plate-mounting ends 232, 242 is secured on a respective one of the bottom surfaces 122, 112 of the first and second plates 12, 11.

As further shown in FIG. 5, the first and second frame members 21, 22 are pivotable relative to each other by pulling the first and second plates 12, 11 away from each other, to change the supporting frame unit 20 to a folded state so that the first and second frame members 21, 22 are aligned with each other, and the first and second upper ends 212, 222 of the first and second supporting legs 211, 221 are adjacent to each other, thereby allowing the first and second plates 12, 11 to be folded on the supporting frame unit 20 such that the first and second plates 12, 11 are parallel to an assembly of the first and second frame members 21, 22 (see FIG. 6). The first and second plates 12, 11 are parallel to each other and abut respectively against two opposite sides of the supporting frame unit 20 when the supporting frame unit 20 is in the folded state and when the plate unit 10 is folded on the supporting frame unit 20.

In this preferred embodiment, the inner sides 124, 114 of the first and second plates 12, 11 are formed respectively with a pair of positioning pins 128 and a pair of positioning holes 118 that engage each other to position the first and second plates 12, 11 relative to each other and that are removed from each other when the supporting frame unit 20 is in the folded state (see FIGS. 4 and 5). In another embodiment, only one positioning pin 128 is formed on the first plate 12, and only one positioning hole 128 is formed in the second plate 11, and engages the positioning pin 128. The first frame member 21 further includes a pair of retaining grooves 213 formed respectively in the first supporting legs 211. The second frame member 22 further includes a pair of stop pins 223 that are disposed respectively on the second supporting legs 221 and that engage respectively the retaining grooves 213 in the first frame 21 when the supporting frame unit 20 is in the folded state (see FIGS. 5 and 6), thereby maintaining the supporting frame unit 20 in the folded state.

As shown in FIG. 6, the carrying strap 30 is disposed on the first frame member 21 of the supporting frame unit 20.

Consequently, the present invention provides a foldable baseball equipment rack that is convenient to carry when folded, and that permits placement of baseball equipment without facility restrictions.

It should be noted that, while this invention is exemplified using a foldable baseball equipment rack, a foldable softball equipment rack may be provided in other embodiments of this invention.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A foldable baseball equipment rack, comprising: a plate unit having a top surface unit, a bottom surface unit opposite to said top surface unit, and a plurality of bat-receiving notches extending through said top surface unit and said bottom surface unit and being formed along a periphery of said plate unit, and a supporting frame unit connected to and disposed under said plate unit for supporting said plate unit, said supporting frame unit including a first frame member and a second frame member pivoted to said first frame member in such a manner to constitute an X-shaped configuration, said first frame member including a pair of first supporting legs each having an upper end, said second frame member including a pair of second supporting legs each having an upper end, said upper ends of said first supporting legs being spaced respectively apart from said upper ends of said second supporting legs, said first and second frame members being pivotable relative to each other to change said supporting frame unit to a folded state so that said first and second frame members are aligned with each other, and said upper ends of said first supporting legs are adjacent respectively to said upper ends of said second supporting legs, thereby allowing said plate unit to be folded on said supporting frame unit such that said plate unit is parallel to an assembly of said first and second frame members.
 2. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate unit further has a plurality of ball-receiving cavities formed in said top surface unit of said plate unit.
 3. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plate unit further has a first plate and a second plate coplanar with said first plate, each of said first and second plates having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inner side abutting against the other one of said first and second plates, and an outer side opposite to said inner side, said top surfaces of said first and second plates constituting said top surface unit, said bottom surfaces of said first and second plates constituting said bottom surface unit, said notches being formed in said outer sides of said first and second plates, said ball-receiving cavities being formed in said top surfaces of said first and second plates, said first and second plates being parallel to each other and abutting respectively against two opposite sides of said supporting frame unit when said supporting frame unit is in the folded state and when said plate unit is folded on said supporting frame unit.
 4. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 3, wherein said supporting frame unit further includes a pair of first connecting rods and a pair of second connecting rods parallel to said first connecting rods, each of said first and second connecting rods having a pivoting end and a plate-mounting end that are opposite to each other, each of said pivoting ends of said first and second connecting rods being pivoted to a respective one of said upper ends of said first and second frame members, each of said plate-mounting ends of said first and second connecting rods being secured on a respective one of said bottom surfaces of said first and second plates.
 5. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 4, wherein said inner sides of said first and second plates are formed respectively with at least one positioning pin and one positioning hole that engage each other to position said first and second plates relative to each other and that are removed from each other when said supporting frame unit is in the folded state.
 6. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first frame member further includes a pair of retaining grooves formed respectively in said first supporting legs, and said second frame member further includes a pair of stop pins that are disposed respectively on said second supporting legs and that engage respectively said retaining grooves in said first frame member when said supporting frame unit is in the folded state, thereby maintaining said supporting frame unit in the folded state.
 7. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a carrying strap disposed on said first frame member of said supporting frame unit. 